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As the hockey season begins to wind down, every game becomes more and more important. The tail end of the season can include tournaments, showcases and playoffs where teams may have to play multiple games on the same day or weekend. These busy weekends can take a toll on a players body, causing fatigue and soreness that can lead to decreased performance on the ice as well as injuries. A quality off ice training program includes stretching and cool down exercises at the end of the session to decrease muscle soreness and improve flexibility, but many athletes 

Strokes are devastating, not only physically, but mentally. They change lives, many of which are very young and active. When stroke patients are discharged from physical therapy, many are just beginning to recover physically, especially from a fitness and strength perspective. This is where the experienced Athletic Trainer, Strength Coach or Personal Trainer can make a huge difference in their quality of life.

Both physical and mental aspects must be addressed when entering a fitness program. From the physical perspective, balance, strength, flexibility, coordination and cardiovascular fitness are just some parts that may be incorporated into the fitness program. The mental aspect may be even tougher in addressing fear, complacency and motivation, to name a few.

Chris Phillips is the owner of Compete Sports Performance and Rehab and a member of the Medical Fitness Network. Please visit www.medicalfitness.org for more information.

Hockey Nutrition: The Right Meals To Help Your Game

Checking the fridge first thing in the morning is not uncommon. Sadly, nothing seems appealing, so you decide you will skip breakfast and feast come dinner hour.

Such decisions are made on a regular basis in all parts of the world. But all meals — especially breakfast — are important if you are going to grow as a hockey player. Part of exceling on the ice is exceling at home as well. Proper nutrition is essential to having energy and making key decisions during a game.

When it comes to conditioning, you should consider the specific demands of the sport you're training for.  For youth athletes, hopefully they're participating in several sports throughout the calendar year.  Multi-sport athletes will naturally perform different types of conditioning simply through playing each sport, and will reap the benefits in their other sports.  However, when it's baseball season, here are some things to consider regarding how to properly condition:

A new concussion law in California was enacted on January 1^st, 2017. It is an amendment of a previous law that covered high school athletes that now covers all athletes under the age of 18. Its’ purpose is to provide specific safety protocols in order to protect athletes from injury. “This bill places California at the forefront of improving concussion management at the youth sports level” said Mike Chisar of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association. “It will help ensure the appropriate steps are taken so our coaches, parents and athletes are educated on the signs and symptoms of concussion, and help minimize the risk of serious injury.”

The new law aims at 

1.     Choose you.

Aside from the physical and mental benefits of exercise, deciding to start an exercise plan starts with you. Your doctor, your family, your friends, your co-workers can tell you how much you need to workout but it won’t stick unless you decide for yourself that you want to do it. Choose you.

2.     Try something new.

Often we get stuck in a routine and are scared to try something new. Trade out what you have done in the past and try something new like a spin class, go hiking, weight training class, or come into Compete :)

3.     Find a good support group.

You are only as good as the people you choose to surround yourself with. On the days that you don't want to workout or life gets crazy, find family and friends that will encourage you to reach your goals and stick to your workout routine.

Integrating explosive high-speed exercises in your training can improve athletic performance and promote the growth of lean muscle tissue. An explosive exercise is one in which you generate a great amount of force and move fast for a short period of time. These represent your jumping, sprinting, med ball tossing, and olympic lifting exercises. Explosive activity triggers muscle hypertrophy and mobilizes fat burning hormones creating both muscle mass and a lean appearance. The theory is that creating muscle tension at high speed causes micro tears in the muscle, which will promote tissue growth and repair at a cellular level. In addition, 

It's very common for ballplayers to experience soreness and fatigue in their throwing arms.  Kids are either playing year round, or playing in tournaments that cram multiple games into several days.  Even with league mandated pitch counts, every player throws the ball, especially the catchers.  So what can you do to help your son or daughter maintain a healthy shoulder?  The first, and most important factor, is rest.  When they have opportunities to rest their arms between games or tournaments, it's a good idea to take advantage of it.  This also includes throwing as a part of